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Mindanaoans pay higher electricity rates in Asia

By PAT SAMONTE, Regional Editor-Caraga

BUTUAN City––As President Benigno Aquino III, in his Davao Energy Summit speech, blamed the power crisis on the people of Mindanao for being “pampered” by “cheap” power, but an activist, writer and researcher noted that Mindanao is actually paying much more than most cities in Asia.

In an article published by think-tank Ibon Foundation, Arnold Padilla said instead of blaming Mindanaons, Aquino “must apologize for being shamelessly insensitive” to the plight of Mindanao where 36 percent of the country’s poorest families live based on the latest poverty statistics released by the National Statistical Coordination Board.

Padilla said that residential consumers in Caraga, Davao, Northern Mindanao, Cagayan de Oro and the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (Armm)

are paying twice the electricity rates in Seoul, South Korea and Beijing, China.

Except for Caraga, all the Mindanao regions are paying more expensive residential power rates than Hongkong, he said.

“These areas plus Cotabato City, Iligan City, SOCCKSARGEN and the Zamboanga Peninsula, all have higher residential rates than major Asian capitals like Taipei, Kuala Lumpur, Jakarta, New Delhi, Bangkok, and Shanghai, among others. All in all, Mindanao is paying an average of P1.82 per kilowatt hour more for electricity than 31 major RELIABLE POWER SUPPLY. Hedcor plant operator monitors the automated 42.5-MW Sibulan cities in Asia and Oceania.”

Hydropower Plant – generating over 200 GWh annually delivering its power to Davao Light and Power Padilla refuted Aquino’s Company. Sibulan Hydropower plant started its operation in 2010. premise that Mindanao has been unjustifiably enjoying “cheap” power rates describing it as “totally wrong.” He said it’s true that Mindanao has lower power rates than Luzon and GREENPEACE on Tuesday called on the agriculture Visayas according to the department to stop all trials and releases of geneticallyRATES/PAGE 6 modified organisms (GMOs) in the countryside saying it is “unsafe” and “dangerous” to environmental health.

EATHER PDATE A new report, which focuses on Bt eggplant, a GMO variety currently being field-tested in the Philippines, the RIDGE of High Pressure Area (HPA) exGreenpeace detailed how the spread of the geneticallytending over Luzon. The whole country modified Bt gene can cause eggplant to be an aggressive will have partly cloudy to at times cloudy and problematic weed, threatening to overpower similar skies with isolated rainshowers or thunvarieties. derstorms mostly in the afternoon or evening. Light to moderate winds blowing from the east to southeast will In addition, Greenpeace maintained that GMOs grown prevail over Luzon and coming from the east to northeast in fields contaminate normal crops, threaten farmers’ over the rest of the country. The coastal waters throughout livelihoods, and are dangerous to human health. the archipelago will be slight to moderate.

The group called on the Department of Agriculture source: pagasa TEST/PAGE 7

PHL, test site for dangerous crops

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Environment, livelihood advocate eyes Senate slot

By PAT SAMONTE BUTUAN City––A multiawarded militant for environmental conservation and preservation, and active advocate of livelihood programs for the poor has set her eyes on a Senate slot in next year’s midterm election.

Former Las Piñas Rep. Cynthia A. Villar is now on a trailblazing trail to Mindanao’s major cities to be in touch with former Congress colleagues, local officials and leaders to boost her political stock and chances.

The three-term former solon, is in her first attempt to break into the national political scene as an aspirant to replace her husband, Senator Manny Villar, who seemed not keen in running for any elective position in 2013.

Former Rep. Villar made waves when she filed last March16, a Petition for Writ of Kalikasan with the Supreme Court against a major land reclamation project along the Bacoor-Las Piñas-Parañaque coastline of the Manila Bay. Named

VILLAR respondents in the petition are Altech Contractors, Inc., Philippine Reclamation Authority, Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Environmental Management Bureau and the City Government of Las Piñas.

Villar filed the petition in her behalf and in representation of the more than 300,000 residents of Las Piñas City.

According to Villar’s petition, the implementation of the reclamation project will result in the inundation of numerous barangays in Las Piñas, Parañaque and

Bacoor, Cavite under more than 5 meters of floodwater.

It said, the project will also wreak havoc on a critical habitat and ecotourism area consisting of over 175,307 hectares of land in Las Piñas and Parañaque. The wildlife habitat is home to more than 195 species of birds some of which are the most endangered in the world and can only be found in the area. The project will result in the habitat being cut off from Manila Bay and the mangroves found therein would perish due to lack of saltwater, leading to the breakdown of the ecosystem, the petition said.

In 2002, Villar and her husband launched the Las Piñas-Zapote River System Rehabilitation Program which was selected by the Dubai International Award and the United Nations Human Settlements Programme for Best Practice in 2006 for its outstanding contribution towards improving the living environment. The program again, won on March 24, 2009 the Oikos Global Case Writing Competition sponsored by SLOT/PAGE 6

TURN-OVER CEREMONY AT BARANGAY NAZARETH. Rep Rufus Rodriguez turns over a road concreting project at Barangay Nazareth costing P2 million to Chair Jocelyn “Bebot” Rodriguez, Kag. Rommel Pimentel, Kag. Felipe Abrogar and Kag. Bong Rubic. Witnessing the turn-over are AD Engr. Ceasar Hipuna Jr., and Engr. Anavilla Labiano.

Napocor, Psalms face rap THE SANGGUNIANG PANLALAWIGAN (SP) in North Cotabato is filing a case against the National Power Corporation (Napocor) and the Power Sectors Assets, Liabilities, and Management (PSALM) for their refusal to grant the Cotelco 26 megawatts from the two geothermal power plants located at Mount Apo. The provincial council also believes that as host of

these plants the province is entitled to a 25-percent load dispatch daily from the Mount Apo geothermal power plants.

“Despite the existing laws, we are at the mercy of the power transmission and generation facilities as to whether or not they would give us the needed power for the province. We are doing now a very careful study of the cases that

would be filed against these agencies. We don’t want to go wrong this time,” said Cotabato 2nd district board member Jose Ping Tejada, chair of the SP Cotabato Committee on Power.

Earlier, the city council here also advised it would go to court should Napocor and PSALM still refuse to dispatch 26 megawatts from the 104-MW geothermal plants at Mt. Apo. CD

Woman driver killed as bike slams into coco tree

By PAT SAMONTE and JOEL PORTUGAL

At left, ABC Jaime Mallare tells the barangay chairmen on what to expect after the seminar-training on disaster preparedness. Barangay Health Workers (BHWs), tanods, and other stakeholders listen to the seminar-training attentively (middle photo) while CLGOO Edward Bhagwani reads the schedule of the three-day training prepared by Oroquieta City Search and Rescue Team (OCERT). Photo by PJ Tremedal, Western Mindanao Bureau

Oroquieta fortifies disaster preparedness wani told Mindanao Daily

By PJ TREMEDAL Western Mindanao Bureau News that the training was primarily conducted to OROQUIETA City––In strengthen the knowledge line with Republic Act no. of every barangay in regard 10121, otherwise known as to disaster preparedness.

Bhagwani also said that the disaster-risk reduction management law, the City the 47 barangays will be of Good Life has enhanced forming its own Barangay and strengthened its disas- Disaster Risk Reduction ter preparedness against and Management Councils man-made or natural ca- (BDRRMC’s).

Last April 16 to 18, lamities.

At least 47 barangays, in the first batch comprising two batches, are now un- 235 tanods, BHWs, and dergoing training courtesy barangay officials underof the City Local Govern- went seminar-workshop, ment Office in cooperation hands-on training, and with the Association of te chniques on how to Barangay Chairman with handle the rescue durthe full support from the ing calamities, improved local government of Oro- responses to control damages during disasters, and quieta.

CLGOO Edward Bhag- adopt a zero-casualty rate.

The second batch started on April 19 and will end on April 21. They comprise the members of the Oroquieta City Search and Rescue Team, Red Cross, Army Reserve Command Rescue Team, and other government agencies such as the BFP, PNP and the regular AFP units under the 1st Infantry Division will be resource facilitators.

“After we conduct this trainings, we will definitely establish and create our each BDRRMC’s to counter any disastrous event that may happen and affects our Barangays,” City Councilor Jaime Mallare, ABC-SP Ex-Officio Member said.

Meanwhile, City Mayor Jason P. Almonte said that

his administration is able and willing to support the initiatives of the City Local Government Office on his task and responsibility to conduct such training for the benefits of every Barangay of this city and with the help and facilitating of the CDRRMC, as chairman it is also his responsibility to implement R.A. 10121.

“In fact this is long overdue, we have to strengthen our capabilities even we were not really affected

by Typhoon Sendong, but we know this city is also a calamity frown area like storm surges, flashfloods and other disaster; we have to strengthen the city’s disaster risk reduction management,” he said.

BUTUAN City––A woman driver of a Honda Fit motorcycle was killed while her passenger was seriously injured when the vehicle slammed into a coconut tree in Bunawan Brook, Bunawan, Agusan del Sur on Tuesday.

Authorities said Victoria Villarante Locsin, 35, of Tagum City, and Richelle Locsin, 37, were heading for Bunawan proper from

Davao City when the accident happened.

Police investigation showed that Victoria appeared to have “slumbered” as he drove the motorcycle which swerved and hit a coconut tree on the roadside at around 1 pm. The victims were rushed to Bunawan District Hospital were Victoria succumbed to multiple injuries, police said.

Richelle was later referred to Tagum Doctor’s Hospital, police added.

EXTRAJUDICIAL SETTLEMENT AND ADJUDICATION WITH SALE OF REAL PROPERTIES Notice is hereby given that the intestate estate of Late Spouses VICENTE & MAGDA PABUALAN, who died sometimes on September 20, 1996 and September 26, 2007 respectively at Balingasag, Misamis Oriental, that the said descendants at the time of death left parcels of land described as follows: 1.) “A parcel of agricultural land known as Survey No. 1458, located at Cogon, Balingasag, Misamis Oriental. Containing an area of FOURTEEN THOUSAND FOUR HUNDRED NINETY (14,490) SQUARE METERS, under tax declaration No. 0810001404044, declared in the name of Vicente Pabualan.”

2.) “A parcel of agricultural land known as Lot no. 1029-P, located at Cogon, Balingasag, Misamis. Containing an area of TWO THOUSAND FIVE HUNDRED SIXTY FIVE (2,565) SQUARE METERS, COVERED BY tax Declaration No. 0810001404536, declared in the name of Vicente Pabualan, is the subject of EXTRAJUDICIAL SETTLEMENT AND ADJUDICATION WITH SALE OF REAL PROPERTIES executed by and among the heirs namely: CASTULO P. PABUALAN, GRECIO P. PABUALAN and MARCELINO P. PABUALAN, all of legal ages, Filipino citizens and a resident of Balingasag, Misamis Oriental, OSWALDO P. PABUALAN, ROGELIO P. PABUALAN, also of legal ages, married, and a resident of Cagayan de Oro City & LUZMINDA PABUALAN VDA DE SANTIANO of legal age and a resident of Balingasag, Misamis Oriental.

That the above mentioned agreed mutually to adjudicate lot No. 1458 in the NAME HEIRS OF VICENTE PABUALAN while lot No. 1029 be transferred into their individual names in accordance to the approved subdivision plan and to confirm the sale of the share of MARCELINO PABUALAN, covering an area of FOUR HUNDRED SEVENTY FIVE (475) SQUARE METERS to the name of the VENDEE, Spouses OSWALDO P. PABUALAN & EMELYN Z. PABUALAN, for and in consideration of the sum of TWENTY FIVE THOUSAND (P25,000/00) PESOS Philippine currency hand in by VENDEE to the VENDOR by theses presents SELL, TRANSFER, CEDE AND CONVEY to the VENDEE, as per Doc. No. 265; Page No. 54; Book No. 53; Series of 2011, under Notary Public of Atty. AUDIE G. PADUGANAN. MDN: APR 20, 27 & MAY 4, 2012

FRIDAY, APRIL 20, 2012

Editor: Allan Mediante, Email: amediante@yahoo.com

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NOMINEE TO BWM AWARDS THE first sugarmill in Bukidnon was erected in Butong, Quezon, Bukidnon sometime in 1975. It was erected by the Marubeni Corporation of Japan for Bukidnon Sugar Milling Co., Inc. with a capacity of 4000 TCD. It had its first milling season on December 21, 1976 to May 22, 1977 for which it crushed 148,530.96 tons cane and manufactured 260,056.00 piculs raw sugar with an average of 1.75 piculs sugar per ton cane. The area planted was 1,908 hectares from 54 planters, mostly from big farms around the mill.

In the succeeding years, the sugar cane agricultural development prospered progressively such that after six years, for CY 1981-82, the mill crushed 894,752.04 tons cane and manufactured 1,488,254 piculs sugar.

The mill was serving 1,167 planters cropping about 14,000 hectares.

It was about the limit of the capacity to mill for a 4000 TCD Mill. Therefore, the company undertook a capacity expansion program from 4000 TCD to 6000 TCD. After the second year of expansion to 6000 TCD, the mill attained its highest production of 1,574,768 piculs raw sugar from 18,795.67 hectares.

The assets bought from the APT includes also a 230 hectares property situated in Barangay

Butong, Quezon, Bukidnon which is 11 kilometers away from Poblacion Quezon, Bukidnon and 140 kilometers away from Cagayan de Oro City.

Busco Sugar Milling Co., Inc. was registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission with an authorized capital of P800 Million and a paid up capital of P400 Million on September 16, 1988.

Upon take-over, the new owners embarked on a rehabilitation and expansion program.

In keeping with their commitments to the sugarcane planters, it conducted its initial milling campaign, on schedule, for CY 1988-89. Since then, it has successfully completed

fourteen (14) milling campaigns producing about 11.15% of the total national sugar production each year.

Plant modernization and capacity expansion continued without let-up. For Crop Year 1992-93, Busco has already reached a capacity of 10000 TCD and crushed a total of 1,752,164.29 tons cane and manufactured 3,358,800 L-Kgs., marking the biggest productions then in the history of the sugar industry in Bukidnon.

This Crop Year 2002-2003, Busco has hit a high of 14,538.83 tons cane milled and sugar produce of 1,450,713.62 kilos on January 7, 2003.

Since its construction in

1975 until its capacity expansion reached 10000 TCD in 1993, Busco had a total of three units of 1.7 MW steam turbine generators rated at 460V 3PH 60HZ. In addition, two Diesel Gensets were commissioned rated at 750 KW and 400 KW at 480V used as stand-by units.

Shortly thereafter, an 8,000 KW steam turbine generator rated at 4160V 3PH 60 HZ was commissioned in April 1994 to supply the additional energy demand. All of these equipment including the mill drives requiring super-heated steam for the prime mover power, are supported by four Boilers with three Boilers rated at 60 TPH with 20 kg./cm2 pressure and one 70 TPH with 31 kg./cm2 pressure.

To complete its cogeneration facility, a 10 MVA 416/69 KV outdoor substation interconnecting with the National Power Corporation Mindanao Grid was commissioned on April 4, 1995 to supply 4 MW of its excess power to NPC. A total of 3,770,212 KW have been exported to the NPC Mindanao Grid during the initial year of co-generation.

The acquisition of the NASUREFCO Refinery by Busco further added 2.2 MW steam turbine generator and a 50-tons per hour Clarke Chapman Boiler.

The Bukidnon Milling District is now the second biggest

sugarcane milling district in the entire Philippines. It encompasses the towns of Quezon, Valencia, Malaybalay, Lantapan, Cabanglasan, Sumilao, Impasugong, San Fernando, Maramag, Pangantucan, Don Carlos, Kitaotao, Dangcagan, Kibawe, Kadingilan, and Damulog, all within the province of Bukidnon and with its expansion in Wao, Lanao Del Sur and Banisilan, North Cotabato, in the heartland of Mindanao.

Busco Milling District generates some P 3.5 B in the form of revenue from raw and refined sugar and molasses. It contributes over P 300 M to the government in the form of taxes.

Consistent with its Corporate Vision, Busco has acquired the existing 550 MT NASUREFCO Refinery at P310 Million in an open bidding with APT. The Refinery was turned over to Busco last June 27, 1996. Its vision of forward integration has been

substantially achieved.

After the turnover, Busco has acquired the services of consultants from the Tate and Lyle Ltd. to assess the refinery’s machinery and equipment. A little over a year of rehabilitation works were done, the refinery has started its initial year of operations on July 1997 and has a targeted production of 2,000,000 bags refined sugar every season. With technology shared in refining process from Central Azucarera de Don Pedro in Batangas, Busco reached 12,000-13,000 bags mark refining capacity last September 1999.

The refinery attained a production of 1,880,343 L-kg. of Refined Sugar in its first milling operation from September 1, 1997 to August 31, 1998 and a production of 2,101,958 L-kg. of Refined Sugar in the second year from September 1, 1998 to

BUSCO/PAGE 6

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FRIDAY, APRIL 20, 2012

Editor: RUEL PELONE , Email; mindanaodailynews@gmail.com www.mindanaodailybalita.com

The MINDANAO DAILY NEWS (MDN) is published by Mindanao Daily Balita at Door 3, Geleng Bldg., Lapasan Highway, Cagayan de Oro City. It is registered with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Region 10 with Certififcate No. 01349532, and with Business Permit No. 02275, TIN No. 946-396-807-001 Telefax Nos: (088) 856-3344, (08822)74-53-80, Cell nos.: 0917-7121424, 0923-432-0687 Website: www//mindanaodailybalita.com E-mail: mindanaodaily.ads@gmail.com mindanaodailynews@gmail.com DANTE M. SUDARIA PUBLISHER

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Shopping spree THINK a minute.

On a TV game show, I saw a woman who won a shopping spree in a supermarket.

She had 10 minutes to fill her cart with anything she wanted in the store.

In those few minutes, she had to be smart and find the most valuable things she could to fill her cart with.

Do you realize that your life is like a shopping spree?

In this short life, we have only a limited amount of time to get the most valuable things we can.

To get the most for our time. One successful man said it this way: “The time of your life is the one dollar you’re given. It’s the only dollar you have, so

Think A Minute Jhan Tiafau Hurst be very careful how you choose to spend it. Don’t ever let other people spend it for you. Counting time is not nearly as important as making time count.”

If you don’t use it, you’ll lose it. Time never stops for any of us, no matter who we are. “You may be able to take the day off, but you can’t put it back.”

Since we can’t keep it or

save it, we have to spend it. A wise man said: “The only smart use of your time and life is to spend it on something that will last longer than your life and keep benefiting you even after you die.”

This short, simple poem tells us the secret to spending our life for that one thing that will secure and always take care of us.

It says: “Only one life, will soon be past. Only what’s done for Christ will last.”

You see, Jesus Christ is the only One Who lasts, since He is the Creator of life itself.

So if you have Him, you never run out of life. That’s what He came to show us by giving His own perfect life for our sins and then bringing Himself back to life. So what will you do with the time you have left?

Why not start spending your life wisely: by living your Maker’s way for the only things that will keep taking care of you for the rest of your life, and even after you die.

Just Think a Minute.

Useless Mindanao legislatures THE SERIES of write-ups about the real situation of power sources in Mindanao, lead us to believe that power inadequacy in the island is superficial. That all these buyouts and sales were part of an intricate ‘power play’ of vested groups.

Consequently, we were able to discern that privatization of the Agus-Pulangi Hydropower plant is not a solution to power problem in Cris Diaz Mindanao. Neither buying power barges nor constructing a coal-fired power plant will address power shortage in the island. The truth is that there is no shortage of power supply in Mindanao.

However, people are wondering why the government is insisting that power shortage looms in the island.

It seems we are willing victims of the government’s ineptitude. We reject the idea of power inadequacy in Mindanao because we believed it is not true.

Nonetheless, the government has all the resources it could tap to waylaid the minds of the taxpayers. At the outset, we would have no choice but bow our heads in resignation.

In the process, we realized that we had elected legislatures doing nothing in Congress. We were expecting our representatives to come to our rescue at times when we needed them most. Nevertheless, we could not find an ally from among our elective officials because they, too, perhaps benefited from this ‘power play’ of the moneyed and powerful.

So far, only Rep. Rufus Rodriguez, of Cagayan de

Oro, filed a bill in Congress for a Leyte-Mindanao geothermal energy interconnection through a submarine cable. Other elected legislatures in Mindanao have not done anything.

The Rodriguez bill sought a P100 million budget for the interconnection where funding comes from Malampaya royalties. With the interconnection, Mindanao will have an additional 500-megawatt power supply. The figure would be enough to energize North and Northeastern Mindanao.

Congress, however, could be sitting on the Rodriguez bill since nothing heard of the proposed bill since its filing last year. Where are the other elected Congressmen in Mindanao. There are more than 60 elected Congressmen (including Party list Representatives) in Mindanao.

Two years ago, a ‘Mindanao bloc’ was organized in Congress. The idea then was to give Congressmen a fair deal in the Lower House particularly in approving bills and passing of resolutions advantageous to Mindanao.

People from Mindanao thought that the ‘Mindanao bloc’ would serve as an influential voice of the island.

Alas! At times when the people of Mindanao are expecting their elective officials to relate their anxieties their elected officials apparently abandoned them. Otherwise, when the government initiated power problem in Mindanao cropped up, the ‘Mindanao bloc’ would have stand up and fight for their cause.

In the end, we cannot but suspect that the majority member of the ‘Mindanao bloc’ does not represent the true sentiment of the Mindanaoans. React: crisguardian@yahoo.com

Optimizing hotel revenue HOTELS in Cagayan de Oro over the weekend were showing a modest occupancy figures higher than the December performance before the Typhoon Sendong disaster. With demands back to pre-recession levels, hoteliers are focusing on the best ways to capitalize and drive revenue. Occupancy alone has led to significant increase in revenue per available room in the city.

Maintaining proper pricing procedures is an industry practice with no written rules but to optimize revenue potentials.

Night Clerks find it easy to print revenue reports from the day transaction.

Managers can read it and be amused with the recovery prospects. But whether it can be of value is to talk about the why and how?

Traversing the Tourism Hi-way Ped T. Quiamjot Local tourism industry practioners have to shift from reactive to proactive and focus on items that are not really urgent but important.

Revenue management is a strategy now used by international hotel chains.

Adjusting to more proactive approach is looking at weekly revenue meetings to make sure at least a great percentage is focused on finding solutions to overcome historical trends. Facilitating weekly meetings

create fusions of the minds among team members. It’s collaborative not just one person speaking out.

Hotels revenue management scheme is not driven by competition but the team members should push for emotional pricing or setting rates depending on price movement of the hotels that double as a resort and the hotels located in the downtown areas which enjoys easy accessibility to transportations. Business class hotels adjacent to

malls or shopping centers enjoy the advantage for the walk-in short haul market.

While sales and marketing executives are continuously surfing the net for the latest on-line booking placed by web based travel.com or government portals announcing conference schedules and out of town meetings.

Va r i o u s d i s c o u n t schemes were made favorable to corporate business which has been supporting the industry. Travel agencies that sells inbound destination like the Philippines in general and Cagayan de Oro in particular have different arrangements earning for the agency percentage of rebates for booking the business. While airline companies integrate hotels and breakfast meals to their HOTEL/PAGE 7

FRIDAY, APRIL 20, 2012

5 BUTUAN CITY, BAYUGAN CITY, SAN FRANCISCO, TAGUM CITY SUZUKI * HONDA YAMAHA* KAWASAKI MEMBER: G.A. ROMARATE GROUP OF COMPANIES

Editor: Joe del Puerto Felicilda , Email: jdelpf@yahoo.com

PIA News Bits Director Abner M. Caga PIA, R10 & 13 Cluster

30 daycare centers to rise soon in AgSur

AGUSAN del Sur – Thirty day care centers will b e c on s t r u c t e d in 30 barang ay s of t h e province’s first congressional district, under the Early Childhood Care and Development (Phase 2) Program. The agreement was signed April 11 this year by District 1 Rep. Maria Valentina Plaza, with the project director of Peace, Justice and Integrity of Creation - Integrated Development Center, Agusan del Sur Gov. Adolph Edward Plaza and the mayors of the five municipalities where the beneficiary-barangays are located.

Roadside dwellers get own houses

BUKIDNON - Gov. Alex Calingasan led the turnover of 50 new housing units recently in Brgy. Dalirig, Manolo Fortich town. Beneficiaries are those who were illegally dwelling at the roadsides, identified as poorest of the poor. The governor urged them to take care of their respective units built in support of PNoy’s goal for a “slum-free” Philippines.

57 Caraganons pass DOST scholarship test

REGION 13 - DOST-Caraga Assistant Director Dominga Mallonga disclosed, 57 applicants for this year’s DOST-Science Education Institute Scholarship programs have qualified for the grants in the next school year. The program is in line Republic Act 7687, otherwise known as the Science and Technology Scholarship Act of 1994. She assured the grantees are poor, but deserving individuals.

SPES interviews continues in Iligan

LANAO del Norte - PESO Iligan Manager Celso D. Fernando said, interviews for 150 student applicants is still going on for the Labor Department’s Special Program for Employment of Students (SPES) this summer. This year’s summer job program will start on April 23 until May 25.

MDaily Joke Compiled by KHRISTHA RIVA ARFENE

Jumping a Red Light

In the traffic court, a young lady was brought before the judge to answer for a ticket given her for driving through a red light.

She explained to his honor that she was a school teacher and requested an immediate disposal of her case, so she could get to the school on time. (Priyanka Roy) A wild gleam came into the judge’s eyes.

“You’re a school teacher, eh?” he said. “Madam, I shall realize my lifelong ambition. I’ve waited years to have a school teacher in this court. Now sit down at that table and write ‘I will not drive through red lights’ 500 times!

FOOD FOR THOUGHT Every morning offers us new challenges and rich blessings, as we walk with Christ. Despite mistakes, we may have made yesterday, choices we regret and heartaches we have endured. God is merciful to us. The sunrise reminds us of His faithfulness and of the new start each day brings. (from by Past President Jerry Orcullo, Cagayan de Oro Press Club)

Camiguin launches GP program anew

By JORIE VALCORZA MAMBAJAO, Camiguin - Health workers have launched another round of “Garantisadong Pambata (GP)” supplement distribution for 0 to 71 months old children, April 16 this year.

The activity was done with massive distribution and provision of

health services to all under five years old in

the entire.

Camiguin Provincial Nutrition Program Coordinator Telesfora G. Madelo said, they have distributed such supplements as vitamin A, iron and deworming tablets from the Department of Health, adding that the program aims at reducing the mortality and morbidity rates among

children.

GP also focuses on public health interventions for pregnant mothers, newborn care, immunization of mothers, child injury prevention and control, birth spacing, and environmental sanitation and done every April and October of each year. (JV, PIA 10/jdelpf )

DAR-Caraga to train info officers on effective news writing

By ROBERT E. ROPEROS training will be held on Friday, April 20, 2012 at BUTUAN City––The re- the DAR-Caraga Regional gional office of the Depart- Office conference room.

“The training served as ment of Agrarian Reform (DAR) in Caraga Region venue for the designated is set to train the depart- information officers in the ment’s regional and pro- regional and provincial vincial information officers offices of the agency to on effective news writing in enhance their journalistic its continuing effort to pro- skills in providing news and vide public awareness and information to the public,” information of its thrusts Mambuay added.

Mambuay also said the and development.

In a statement, DAR- activity will give opportuCaraga Regional Director nity to information officers Faisar Mambuay said the to know the impact of uti-

lizing the tri-media as well as the modern social media in disseminating news and information.

He added the use of web-based electronic communications such as the website, blogspot, facebook, and electronic newsletter, among others are among the most practical approach in informing the public what the government has been doing for the development of the region and the country, in general.

The official further said

the government information officers must know what are the latest trends in disseminating news and information in a timely manner, through the use of modern technologies available at present, thus, the need to adopt what Internet can do for this purpose.

Meanwhile, personnel from the regional office of the Philippine Information Agency (PIA) were invited to share insights on the topic. (RER/PIA-Caraga)

OCD-Caraga organizes incident management team

By ROBERT E. ROPEROS BUTUAN City – To provide a systematic and orderly response in time of emergencies and disasters, under the principle of Incident Command System (ICS), the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) - Caraga Region is organizing a regional incident management team.

OCD-Caraga Director Blanche Gobenciong said, a basic intermediate course on ICS is set on May 7-11 at the Almont Beach Resort in Lipata, Surigao City.

He also said, this serves as initial step towards organizing a more systematic approach in responding to calamities and disasters.

Director Gobenciong further said the incident management team shall compose of incident commander, command staff, general staff, and operations staff.

Furthermore, he said participants of the four-day training will come from the reservists of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), Philippine National Police (PNP), as well as the Philippine Army’s 401st and 402nd Brigades.

Also expected to participate are representatives from the Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (RDRRMC), such as De-

EXTRAJUDICIAL SETTLEMENT AMONG HEIRS WITH DEED OF ABSOLUTE SALE OF A REGISTERED LAND Notice is hereby given that the intestate estate of Late JOSE TUMULAK, who died on July 10, 1991 in Oslo, Province of Cebu, Philippines, left a certain Real property/Registered Parcel of Land situated at Mantibugao, Manolo Fortich, Bukidnon, and more particularly described as follows, to wit; TRANSFER CERTIFICATE OF TITLE NO. T-6101 (TAX DECLARATION NO. 02-15-21092) Lot 520, Pls-854, containing an area of TWENTY NINE THOUSAND TWO HUNDRED SIX (29,206) SQUARE METERS more or less. This Lot was surveyed in accordance with law and existing regulations promulgated thereunder, by J.C. Ferraris, Public Land Surveyor, on September 5, 1962, Covered by F.P.A. No. 32-94 is the subject of an EXTRAJUDICIAL SETTLEMENT AMONG HEIRS WITH DEED OF ABSOLUTE SALE OF A REGISTERED LAND of JOSE TUMULAK made and entered into by herein widowed spouse and legitimate and only heirs, namely, DIVINA CH. TUMULAK (HEIR-Vendor), and IMELDA CH. TUMULAK-MARQUEZ (HEIR-Vendor) to ARLYN O. ABUCAYAN-GUSTAFSON, of legal age, Filipino, Married to JACK GUSTAFSON and a resident of Dangcagan, Province of Bukidnon, herein referred to as the VENDEE, for and in total consideration of the sum of FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND PESOS (PHP500,000.00) Philippine Currency, in hand paid by VENDEE ARLYN O. ABUCAYAN-GUSTAFSON DO HEREBY SELL, TRANSFER AND CONVEY in the manner ABSOLUTE and UNCONDITIONAL the above-described REGISTERED real property, as per Doc. No. 100; Page No. 20; Book No. XIII; Series of 2012, under Notary Public of ATTY. CHUBASCO CENEN T. CAIRA. MDN: APRIL 13, 20, & 27, 2012

partment of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), Department of Health (DOH), Department of Science and Technology (DOST), Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) and the Philippine Information

Agency (PIA).

According to the US Fe d e r a l Hi g hw ay Ad ministration, the ICS is a systematic tool used for command, control, and coordination of emergency response. (RER, PIA-Caraga/jdelpf )

Republic of the Philippines SUPREME COURT 4th SHARI’A CIRCUIT COURT 4th Shari’a Judicial District Iligan City IN RE: PETITION TO APPROVE AND REGISTER THE DIVORCE BETWEEN SPOUSES REDICULO R VALDEHUEZA JR AND FARA MARIE G. FERNAN,

CIVIL CASE NO. 2012-023

REDICULOR. VALDEHUEZA JR. AND FARA MARIE G. FERNAN, Petitioners. x-------------------------------------------/ ORDER Before this court is verified Joint Petition for the approval and Registration of the Divorce filed by their Counsel and alleging among others: That petitioners are husband and wife, respectively, in a marriage performed under Civil rites on October 8, 1999 at Kiwalan, Iligan City, they converted to Islam faith, of which conversion to Islam were Registered with this court, both of them can be served with summons and notices at c/o Zaide Law Office, Pafs Mejia Bldg., Roxas Avenue-Iligan City.

That said marriage did not last long, due to lack of love and affection until the relationship manifested incompatibility and sustained misunderstanding between petitioners and reached the point of irreconcilability and they separated more than five (5) years now, they decide to live physically in bed and board thereby executed Divorce Agreement in order to formalize their separation; since their separation, they had never been communicating or supporting either financially or emotionally to each other, neither minding each other’s affairs: petitioner’s seek judicial decree of divorce thereby severing their marriage bond on October 8, 1999 so that they will have free hand to do what a single man or woman could do without marital burden; reconciliation between them had alreadv been diligentlv employed but all proved futile.

WHEREFORE, finding this joint petition to be sufficient Inform and substance set the initial hearing of this case on April 30, 2012 at 9:00 a.m. at which time, date and place, any interested party may appear and show why the petition should not be granted. Let copy of this Order be published in a news paper of General Circulation in the City of Iligan one week for three (3) consecutive weeks at the expense of the petitioners.

SO ORDERED. Iligan City, Philippines, this 11th day of April, 2012.

MDN: APRIL 13, 20 & 27, 2012

(Sgd.) HON. OSOP M. ALI Presiding Judge

6

SPORTS

FRIDAY, APRIL 20, 2012

www.mindanaodailybalita.com

Slot...

Manny starts uphill terrain jogging and other exercises

from page 2

OIKOS FOUNDATION Switzerland for the Sustainable Livelihood Program developed out of river wastes. It received another recognition on November 14, 2000, the Green Apple Award for Environmental Best Practice in London, United Kingdom.

The most recent recognition for the river rehabilitation program was the United Nations Best Water Management Practices Award in celebration of the Water for Life Decade in Zaragoza, Spain in March, 2011.

In 1992, Villar founded and has chaired the Villar Foundation, which has won various awards for its tree-planting program “Pagtatanim Para sa Kinabukasan”, “Sagip Bukas”, a school-based movement for a drug-free Las Piñas, and “Manpower on Wheels”, a mobile livelihood program providing training in employable skills.

Busco...

from page 3 to August 31, 1999. On the third year, CY 1999-2000, 2,762,251 L-kg. of Refined Sugar was produced and 2,856,772 L-kg for CY 2000-2001.

Busco will continue to move to new levels of efficiency and quality. Its sugar refinery is already equipped with the latest technology in pan automation. A Siemens vacuum pan automation system is already in place

BAGUIO City––Pound for pound king Manny Pacquiao Thursday started uphill terrain jogging and shadow boxing at a beautiful hillside in this mountain resort as part of his preparations in his June title defense.

The Filipino ring icon will face undefeated American

boxer Timothy Bradly in what Buboy Fernandez of the “Team Pacquiao” said the defending champion would be careful of the challenger’s propensity of using his head in his previous fights.

Fernandez said Pacquiao showed a good form in his various indoor training

activities Wednesday afternoon.

The activities were capped with the champions’ Bible reading and sharing with the rest of the team and entourage.

Faithful and adoring fans were noticeably earlier than their idol to arrive at the

Rates...

has the highest rates in Asia.

He cited a survey conducted by the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) which posted Manila as the most expensive residential rate of P10.16 per kWh, while Cebu (P8.39) is ranked third.

Padilla said JETRO conducted the survey in January, 2011 to compare investment related costs, including electricity, in 31 cities in Asia and Oceania.

Ara Mina sues Cristine Reyes for libel

milling services to the sugarcane growers of Bukidnon. Before Crop Year 1999-2000 ha d started and in its preparation for the turn of century milling season, the raw house milling tandem has been enhanced further by upgrading another 2 sets of steam turbines and reduction gears from 600 KW to 900 KW. This has strengthened Busco‘s milling capacity and sucrose extraction even further.

For Crop Year 2002-2003,

Busco has milled 2,592,320.120 tons cane from 60,000 hectares of 10,238 sugarcane farmers or planters and has manufactured 4,973,106.19 kilobags raw sugar with an average LKG/TC of 1.92.

Compared to the other biggest sugar producers, again, Busco remarkably made it ranked the second biggest sugar producer in the country today. We are on target with our mission to excel.

We will be there within the first decade of the 21st Century.

from page 1

the latest available comparative data showing that the region has an effective residential rate of P6.69 per kilowatt hour, Luzon has P9.84 while Visayas has P8.19.

According to Padilla, Aquino did not mention one very important fact, Mindanao power is “cheap” only because the country improving product quality and steam economy.

A Hoechst automatic filter press is installed at its filter station, substantially reducing sugar losses thereat. This had helped increase its refining yields to very high levels.

In terms of product quality, Busco refinery now produces about 80% throughput in the form of Bottler’s Grade and Premium Grade Refined Sugar.

But Busco did not forget to look for avenues to improve its

Republic of the Philippines Local Civil Registry Office Province of Misamis Oriental MUNICIPALITY OF CLAVERIA OFFICE OF THE MUNICIPAL CIVIL REGISTRAR NOTICE FOR PUBLICATION In compliance with Section 5 of R.A. No. 9048, a notice is hereby served to the public that DANILO JR SATUR MOLINAS has filed with this Office a petition for Change of First Name from “DANROS” to “DANILO JR” in the Certificate of Live Birth of DANROS SATOR MONSANTO who was born on AUGUST 30, 1979 at CLAVERIA, MISAMIS ORIENTAL and whose parents are DANILO SR MONSANTO MOLINAS and RUSTICA TINOY SATUR.

JUST when you thought nothing could beat Annabelle Rama’s feuds with Nadia Montenegro and Amalia Fuentes for sheer nastiness, here comes Ara Mina suing her sister Cristine Reyes for implicitly calling her a prostitute, among other unprintables.

Ara filed charges of libel and grave coercion against her younger half-sibling at

CIRCLE A WORD SHARF AS A TACK

ALERT AWARE BRAINY CAPABLE CLEVER CREDITABLE DEEP

DEXTEROUS ESTIMABLE GIFTED GREAT INGENIOUS INTELLIGENT

KNOWING LAUDABLE OBSERVANT QUICK SAGE SHARF TALENTED

jogging site which showed that in this city and surrounding areas, the boxing champion and at the same time a politician has given not only that national pride of being a Filipino but also the inspiration to work hard for a better future.

The fans are not only

the Quezon City fiscal’s office Wednesday afternoon.

Media reports have it that the root cause is a financial dispute over the payment for their mother’s house which, Ara alleged, caused Cristine to send her a series of vulgar text messages throughout Holy Week.

Ara, 32, whose legal name is Hazel Pascual Reyes, shed

from these highlands in Luzon but also from coastal areas of Pangasinan, La Union and Ilocos provinces.

Fernandez said tentatively, the team will be here for the rest of April as they are scheduled to leave for the United States in May to continue the training. (PNA)

copious tears during a press interview in which she explained why she felt compelled to take legal action against Cristine, 23, whose full name is Ara Marie Cristine Reyes.

Ara claimed they shared in the payment of the property for which Cristine gave the down payment worth P1 million while Ara made installment payments totaling P3.2 milion.

WE BUY

YELLOW BUY (CLASS B) PLS CONTACT. (088)8567891 09206336542 • 09066968868 09174854629 • 09229910438 LAPASAN HI-WAY KOLAMBOG, CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY

MDB: APRIL 20 TO MAY 25, 2012

SUDOKU How to play the game?

Fill in completely every rows, columns and diagonals of each puzzle without repitition

of the same digit.

Yesterday’s Answer

Any person adversely affected by said petition may file his/her written opposition with this Office not later than APRIL 21, 2012.

(SGD.) ANNA VICTORIA A. EVANGELISTA Municipal Civil Registrar MDN: APRIL 13 & 20, 2012

PROPERTY FOR SALE

Contact cell #-09199311164 1. 3.404 Hectars Industral Lot w/ Power Lines 3 Phase, w/ 1 hectar Quarry, 20,000 m3 crush gravel more or less.

Location Nasalaban Santa Ana, Tagoloan Mis. Or. 2. 6.5 Hectars Lot w/ 1 Hectar Quarry, w/ Power Lines 3 Phase.

Location Bontong, Santa Ana, Tagoloan Mis. Or. 3. 5 Hectars, Lot w/ 3Hectars Quarry Location Natumolan Tagolaon Mis. Or.

LOT FOR SALE Location: Lumbia, Cagayan de Oro City (Near Limketkai Subdivision) Area: 7,353 Square Meters Contact: Loloy Hernandez, 0909-6659388 MDN: Apr. 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21 & 23 2012

WE BUY

RICE BRAN (D1) TAHOP SA HUMAY (TIKI-TIKI)

CEL NO. 09206336542 09066968868 09229910438 LAPASAN HI-WAY KOLAMBOG, CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY

MDB: MARCH 21 TO APRIL 21, 2012

CROSSWORD puzzle ACROSS 1. Neck scarf 6. Fore and_ 9. Exempted 11. Declare positively 12. Camarines_ 13. Bliss 15. Excavate 17. Compete 18. Lady_ 19. Uncovered 21. Male persons 22. Theater section 23. Equipment 25. Comedian Veloso 26. Defraud 28. Preposition 29. Seek justice 30. Criminal charge 32. Game official 35. House pet

37. Director Kazan 38. QC area 40. Greek goddess of the night 41. Fatigued DOWN 1. Idiot 2. Potato 3. Reindeer 4. Conjunction 5. The _ Commandments 6. Actress Gardner 7. Wheel guard 8. Line of railroad cars 10. Plunge into water 11. _Maria 14. Range of mountains 16. Restraint on free speech 20. Occur time after time 21. Bullfighter

22. Solitary 24. Hearing organ 25. Senator Legarda 27. Shoe part 29. Body of water 31. Fleshy fruit 33. Repair 34. Take a meal 36. Wander 39. Lithium symbol

FRIDAY, APRIL 20, 2012 www.mindanaodailybalita.com

Hotel... from page 4

passage tickets as comeon promotions to sell the destinations in open ticket sales for local and the foreign tourist market.

Philippine Airlines have pioneered on tours. Their Palakbayan Tour Program has been in existence for the last decade earning patronage from the business community abroad. For first time traveler to the islands destination, Palakbayan Tours simplify the booking arrangement for the traveler at a cost attractive to the budget. On the other hand, Cebu Pacific Air has made their forwarding destinations attractive with their Go Hotels tie up. A program supported by the hotel properties owned by sister company, Robinson Land, which is into budget hotel venture. The synergy improves travel convenience for business men and marketability of the low cost airline.

Not to be outdone with competition, Air Philippines Express, recently launched their Adven Tours in collaboration with the Philippine Hotel Reservations systems. Pryce Plaza signed up for this tie-up to become the exclusive booking partner hotel of Air Phil Express in Cagayan de Oro City. Air Phil Adven Tours is anchored on the White Water Rafting attraction of the city which elevated the product to more international exposure.

A new player in the airline industry, Air Asia which now flies the Clark to Davao destination and soon the Asian cities in the BIMP region have more attractive travel packages tie up to their Red Planet Hotels Limited of Malaysia under the brand of Tune Hotel which is slowly making their presence in Clark, Manila, Cebu and Davao. Plan is also in the final stages for a Cagayan de Oro Tune Hotel venture for their regional emerging market.

Travel to Cagayan de Oro has a changing landscape with more wide bodied airline flying the route and new business class hotels coming up. Bench marking the business for growth comes with the pudding and with more economics driven front liners, produced by the local universities, let’s see who gets the share?

Test... from page 1

(DA) to stop all field trials of GMOs in the country, warning that the government’s loose and cavalier policy favoring the open cultivation of GMO crops is effectively transforming the Philippines into an unprotected test site for dangerous crops with farreaching and irreversible ecological consequences.

“GMO crops should not be cultivated outdoors anywhere in the world.

When they are grown in important areas of diversity,

like the Philippines, the serious risks of widespread contamination are magnified,: said Daniel Ocampo, Sustainable Agriculture Campaigner of Greenpeace Southeast Asia adding, “in the case of Bt talong, with its built-in insect-resistance gene, this poses risks of creating aggressive weeds that may wreak havoc to local agriculture and natural habitats.”

“GMOs have never been proven safe, which is why they are highly regulated and even banned in many countries and regions. This report is but the latest addition to the growing body of scientific evidence which shows that GMOs are dangerous to our health and our environment, and pose significant threats to sus-

tainable farming practices,” he added.

The whole of South to Southeast Asia is the primar y diversification centre for eggplant, home to its greatest morphological diversity (i.e. range of landraces and cultivars).

Philippines has a recorded 500 varieties of eggplant and related species. However, the report, an independent study commissioned by Greenpeace, cites that a major concern is the possibility that the newly introduced GMO gene, which provides the Bt eggplant with its own built-in insecticide, will confer a selective advantage that may enable it to out-compete and overrun natural vegetation.

Not long ago, Green-

peace also exposed the results of 90-day lab tests conducted by GMO proponents on mice fed with Bt eggplant, which showed signs of toxicity in the liver and kidneys of the test subjects. Studies on Bt corn varieties, already being planted in the Philippines, also show similar results.

Greenpeace and other environmental organizations, scientists, farmers groups, local governments and non-government organizations have been calling for a stop to the open field trials of the Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) eggplant, as well as outdoor cultivation of other GMO varieties.

Field trials of Bt eggplant are currently being carried out in four provinces with plans to propagate

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the controversial crop in other places in the country such as in the Ilocos Region.

In December 2010, the local government of Davao City took decisive precautionary action by uprooting Bt eggplant trials being conducted by the UP Mindanao Foundation.

Greenpeace urged the government to heed the precautionary principle and apply greater restraint in the approval of GMOs into the country whether for food, feed or processing, saying that the 59 GMO approvals issued by the Bureau of Plant Industry in the last 10 years is a scandal that undermines national attempts to mainstream organic and ecological agricuiture.

“Every time we plant

7

GMOs we create an ecological problem. Every time we eat them, we put our health at risk. It’s time that all of us, especially the government, recognize the dangers of GMOs,” said Ocampo.

“Government regulators should focus on sustainable agriculture instead of loosely allowing the conduct of field trials and commercialization of such crops for eventual human consumption. Can we hold responsible officials from the DOA (Department of Agriculture) and BPI (Bureau of Plant Industry) accountable when serious and irreversible damage to the environment and public health occurs as a consequence of their actions?” he asked.

BEBOT COCO LUMBER and GENERAL MERCHANDISE J.R. Borja Ext., Cagayan de Oro City

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1

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SPOT YOUR LUCK

8 News In Focus Surigao Sur emerges as Caraga region’s top rice producer FRIDAY, APRIL 20, 2012

www.mindanaodailybalita.com

By GENEVIEVE G. CANTOR S U R I G AO d e l S u r i s e m e rg i ng a s top r i c e producing province in Caraga region, said the Provincial Agriculture Office (PAO).

Last year, the PAO said the province of Surigao del Sur was included in the “Top 40” list of having strong and doable strategies toward rice selfsufficiency––and ranked next to Agusan del Sur in terms of irrigated rice are in entire Caraga region.

In his State of the Province Address (SOPA), Governor Johnny T. Pimentel

said that Surigao del Sur emerged as of the top rice producers in Caraga next to Agusan del Sur. “Over the past decade, our province has made steady progress in economic and food production,” said Pimentel.

He said Surigao del Sur has been focusing on the improvements in agricultural infrastructure, particularly the irrigation system and farm-to-market roads.

San Miguel is the province’s major rice-producing town with 7.7 hectares of riceland. However, Cantilan town had the highest average yield at 3.8 tons

per hectare.

The combined palay output from November 2011 to December 2011 was at 114,030 metric t o n s w i t h a n av e r a g e yield of 3.43 metric tons per hectare. In irrigated farms, 66.237 metric tons, while rain fed areas were at 47,793 metric tons for an average yield of 3.15 and 3.72 MT per hectare.

Surigao del Sur is also producing soybeans at 752.4 metric tons for an average yield of 1.8 metric tons per hectare planted on 418 hectares covering the munipalities of San Miguel and Tago. Because of this, Surigao del Sur

has been considered as Caraga’s champion in “soy beans” production.

In the previous years, Pimentel said the province of Surigao del Sur has been considered as one of those municipalities that belongs to the poor of the poorest, now this has been lifted.

In 1997, Surigao del Sur poverty incidence among families was at its worst at 45.2 percent according to the National Statistic Coordinating Board.

However, due to the present administration and persistent assistance from the national through the initiative of the local

government and the local head offices especially the Department of Agriculture, the said poverty incidence in the year 1997 has improved gradually to 11.30 percent in 2006 and has been eventually decrease until this present year.

Surigao del Sur local officials are determined in alleviating the poverty incidence in the province.

The present administration has been asking help from the foreign assisted projects to expand and broaden outreach to overcome more areas of concerns.

As of December 31 last

year, there were about 336.5 (66%) or 221 million were intended for infrastructure. 26 percent or 87.5 million were given to the livelihood projects, 8 percent or 28 million were for the environmental protection and management.

“Consistent with the national goal of achieving rice self- sufficiency, reducing poverty and uplifting the plight of farmers, a total of 103 million or more than 45 percent of the funds were allocated for hard infrastructures, also this is build more irrigation systems to irrigate an addition 1,035 hectares of riceland,” Pimentel said.

Gensan residents experience four-hour brownouts

By ALLEN V. ESTABILLO GENERAL Santos City––The daily brownouts here and in nearby South Cotabato and Sarangani provinces has stretched to four hours on Thursday as Mindanao’s power deficit increased to 276 megawatts (MW) due to the ongoing rehabilitation of the National Power Corporation’s (NPC) Pulangi IV hydroelectric plant in Bukidnon.

Engr. Joseph Yanga, South Cotabato II Electric Cooperative (Socoteco II) technical services supervisor, said they were forced to extend the rotating brownouts in the area to four hours from the previous three hours and 15 minutes due to the additional power supply cuts imposed by the NPC and the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP).

From its average contracted supply of 72 MW, he said the NPC further reduced the area’s allocation earlier this month to 54 MW or 51 MW short from its 105 MW peak requirement.

Aboitiz-owned Therma Marine Inc. augments the area’s requirement by 30 MW based on a supply contract earlier forged by Socoteco II. “(But) for today, the NPC is only giving us 45 MW. That leaves us short by 30 MW so we really have no other choice but extend the rotating brownouts,” Yanga told the Philippines News Agency.

Based on an advisory issued

by Socoteco II’s institutional services department, it would implement the rotating brownouts in four phases from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. based on the distribution of its 44 feeder stations.

Socoteco II serves this city, the entire Sarangani province and the municipalities of Tupi and Polomolok in South Cotabato.

NGCP imposed drastic load cuts since February due to the rising power supply shortage in Mindanao that reportedly stemmed from the dwindling capacity of the NPC’s hydroelectric plants in Bukinon and Lanao del Norte.

As of 6 a.m. Thursday, the NGCP said Mindanao’s system capacity only stands at 955 MW or 276 MW short from its peak demand of 1,231 MW.

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